Maine became the first state in the nation to adopt ranked choice voting when Maine voters approved Question 5 in November 2016. Yet, lawmakers Monday voted to delay the system until December 2021, and then repeal it if a constitutional amendment is not approved to address a non-binding opinion from the Maine Supreme Court.

Last week, I officially launched my independent, clean elections bid to become Maine's next governor.

As Maine's first independent state treasurer and a Clean Elections candidate for governor, I am accountable to all Mainers. I am not beholden to any political party, wealthy donors, or special interest lobbyists.

According to an article written by Our American Initiative, and published on The Jack News, the web page of the Commission on Presidential Debates no longer lists the sponsors of the debates.

After 10 years of no salary increases and a police force at its lowest level since 1989, Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced a plan this week to boost San Diego Police Department salaries by up to 30%.

The salary freeze has decimated morale and the ranks. There are fewer than 1,800 police officers  remaining in the City of San Diego.

The cost cutting has also led to slower 9-1-1 response times, among other concerns.

The electoral earthquake that resulted in the election of President Trump is not limited to the United States. And it’s far from running its course.

The Brexit referendum of June 2016 was an early indicator. Against general expectation, the British people overrode elite opinion, voting to exit the European Union.

UPDATE: We first wrote about the Make It Fair initiative back in October. It's the effort to repeal a business portion of Prop. 13. Now, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced the signature gathering portion of the effort. Here is his statement:

Colorado voters are tired of the Republican and Democratic Parties and the gridlock they have created in the state legislature. Now, one of the leading states for independents may have an opportunity to break up the two-party power structure.

These are the findings of a recent Centrist Project survey of over 2,000 likely Colorado voters. According to the survey:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hrAYlI9itE

Video Credit: TIME Magazine

After Donald Trump made a phone call to the wife of a soldier, U.S. Army Sgt. La David Johnson, who died earlier this month in an ambush by Islamic radicals in Niger, the president's words of condolence to the grieving widow became a national controversy.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson was present with Myeshia Johnson when she took the president's call, and claimed on Tuesday that Trump told Johnson:

SDSU’s annual homecoming football game is set for this Saturday, October 21 at SDCCU stadium.

The game will feature the Aztecs taking on the Fresno State University Bulldogs. The "Battle for the Old Oil Can" game will also be the backdrop for the signature collection phase for SDSU West.

So, if you're attending the game, you'll likely be asked for your signature while tailgating.

"FRIENDS OF SDSU" EFFORT

While most of the national media's election coverage is focused on the upcoming 2018 elections, there are many contentious races happening right now.

One such race that independents should pay attention to is in Manitou Springs, Colorado, where the mayoral race is heating up. Incumbent independent Mayor Nicole Nicoletta is being challenged by Democrat Ken Jaray.